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What
is the secret
to our survival?

A Purim
Message by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneersohn

The
story of Purim, as related in the Book of Esther, gives us a clear analysis
of the 'Jewish problem.'

Being
dispersed over 127 provinces and lands, their own still in ruins, the
Jews undoubtedly differed from one another in custom, garment, and tongue
according to the place of their dispersal, very much in the same way as
Jews in different lands differ nowadays. Yet, though there were Jews who
would conceal their Jewishness, Haman, the enemy of the Jews, recognized
the essential qualities and characteristics of the Jews which made all
of them, with or without their consent, into 'one people,' namely, 'their
laws are different from those
of any other people' (Book of Esther 3:8).

Hence, in his wicked
desire to annihilate the Jews, Haman seeks to destroy 'all the Jews, young
and old, children and women.’ Although there were in those days,
too, Jews who strictly adhered to the Torah and its commandments, and
Jews whose religious ties with their people were weak, or who sought to
assimilate themselves, yet none could escape the classification of belonging
to that 'one people,' and every one was included in Haman's cruel decree.

In all ages there
were Hamans, yet we have outlived them, thank G-d. Wherein lies the secret
of our survival?

The answer will be
evident from the following illustration. When a scientist seeks to ascertain
the laws governing a certain phenomenon, or to discover the essential
properties of a certain element in nature, he must undertake a series
of experiments under the most varied conditions in order to discover those
properties or laws which obtain under all conditions alike. No true scientific
law can be deduced from a minimum number of experiments, or from experiments
under similar or only slightly varied conditions, for the results as to
what is essential and what is secondary or quite unimportant then not
be conclusive.

The same principle
should be applied to our people. It is one of the oldest in the world,
beginning its national history from the Revelation at Mount Sinai, some
3300 years ago. In the course of these long centuries our people has lived
under extremely varied conditions, most different times and different
places all over the world. If we wish to discover the essential elements
making up the cause and very basis of the existence of our people and
its unique strength, we must conclude that it is not its peculiar physical
or intrinsic mental characteristics, not its tongue, manners and customs
(in a wider sense), nor even its racial purity (for there were times in
the early history of our people, as well as during the Middle Ages and
even recent times, when whole ethnic groups and tribes have become proselytes
and part of our people).

The essential element
which unites our 'dispersed and scattered people' and makes it 'one people'
throughout its dispersion and regardless of time, is the Torah and its
commandments, the Jewish way of life which has remained basically the
same throughout the ages and in all places. The conclusion is clear and
beyond doubt: It is the. Torah and its commandments which made our people
indestructible on the world scene in the face of massacres and pogroms
aiming at our physical destruction, and in the face of ideological onslaughts
of foreign cultures aiming at our spiritual destruction.

Purim teaches us the
age-old lesson, which has been verified even most recently, to our sorrow,
that no manner of assimilationism, not even such which is extended over
several generations, provides an escape from the Hamans and Hitlers; nor
can any Jew sever his ties with his people by attempting such an escape.

On the contrary: Our
salvation and our existence depend precisely upon the fact that 'their
laws are different from those of, any other people.'

Purim reminds us that
the strength of our people as a whole, and of each individual Jew and
Jewess, lies in a closer adherence to our ancient spiritual heritage,
which contains the secret of harmonious life, hence of a healthy and happy
life. All other things in our spiritual and temporal life must be free
from any contradiction to the basis and essence of our existence, and
must be attuned accordingly in order to make for the utmost harmony, and
add to our physical and spiritual strength, both of which go hand in hand
in Jewish life.

With best wishes for
a joyous Purim, and may we live to see a world free of Hamans and all
types of Amalekites, the enemies of the Jews, of their body, soul and
faith,